Dates for weekend of Eredivisie fixtures moved

Because of Ajax’s progression to the Champions League semi-final, the 33rd and penultimate round of Eredivisie fixtures – originally scheduled for Sunday 28th April – have been shifted to the evening of Wednesday 15th May, all with a 19:30 (CET) / 18:30 (BST) kick-off.

This prevents a scenario where Ajax would have to play Tottenham a mere two days after their Eredivisie fixture with De Graafschap. The KNVB therefore have permitted Ajax extra rest time before their upcoming semi-final, which is huge for Dutch football’s future as a whole, with extra money and reputation potentially in waiting for the league should Ajax progress further.

Nevertheless, the move has sparked controversy in the Netherlands, with some deeming it unfair for Ajax to receive an advantage in the title race, with PSV currently level on points with their rivals from Amsterdam with four games left to go.

The date change means that the 33rd round of fixtures instead becomes the last matchweek of the season; this notably conjures up De Graafschap meeting Ajax on the final day of the season (Wednesday, 15th). Many Dutch football fans will remember the last time that these two sides met on the last day, with De Graafschap sealing a 1-1 draw to prevent Ajax from winning the 2015-16 Eredivisie.

This also means that the end of season European & relegation play-off dates will all be moved to a later date.

I'm a physics student from the UK and a massive Eredivisie fan. Started watching after being inspired by the Netherlands national team after the 2010 World Cup. Wilfred Bouma also has a big part to play in my initial keen interest in the league, being a Villa fan meant I wanted to keep track of my favourite player.